YMCA course spotlight: Hypnosis

YMCA course spotlight: Hypnosis
  1. Can you tell us a little bit about Hypnosis as a practice?

    The focused attention and heightened concentration brought by hypnosis makes you use your mind in more effective ways. In hypnosis, the critical, conscious mind is moved aside to make way for the powerful subconscious mind to be more active and receptive to suggestions - suggestions made for positive change; be it to stop smoking, nail biting, or to increase self-worth and confidence.
    Hypnosis activates your subconscious mind which is the storehouse of all your emotions and experiences. In this relaxed state, emotions that are past their sell-by-date are easily released. Positive outcomes can then be achieved within a relatively short time frame. 

  2. What is a surprising fact about hypnosis?

    What most people don’t realise (I belonged to that category once upon a time) is that although hypnosis comes from the Greek word Hypnos, the god of sleep, it is far from sleep. We all experience some form of hypnosis in our everyday life, it’s like daydreaming, or becoming engrossed in a film or a conversation, or even an interesting book or film. It’s when you lose track of time and get lost in your own thoughts, or thoughts almost go into auto pilot. You become quite relaxed as your mind shuts itself down from the extra stimuli. 

  3. What kind of hypnosis elements do you include in your course?

    I teach different types of relaxation techniques, as truly relaxing is something that we struggle with. As the subconscious mind thinks in pictures, we look at how imagination works and how we can use imagination creatively to bring about desired change. We harness both the conscious and subconscious mind to work for us.

  4. How could this course help with self-confidence?

    I give suggestions of how to make you feel good through thought pattern exercises. We tend to overthink and that is where the problem lies, the thoughts that we constantly think about become a belief then a belief turns itself into a habit. Energy flows where attention goes, and results show. So we look at the positive things you should be focusing on by bringing together the subconscious mind with the conscious mind to bring change, and seeing what the root of your insecurity is. Discussions and sharing of relevant experiences are encouraged with assurance of confidentiality. 

  5. What specific techniques do you use do you use to get people to get into a relaxed state?

    I use anchors, like a smell or a song which will help take you back to a memory and we also use physical anchors like a yoga mudra to help focus your mind and relax your thoughts.

  6.  How will someone benefit from taking your course? What aspects of their life will be enhanced?

    You get as much as you put in. However, during our first session I ask them to set a goal, a simple goal that is achievable within 6 weeks, which could be to feel more confident, stop biting my nails etc/. With hypnosis, you’ve a lot to gain and (nothing to lose except your emotional baggage, so you can journey through life, lighter and happier, more in touch with your emotions) I wouldn’t put this here as it’s not part of the course, emotional baggage is too heavy to broach within the duration of the course. When you connect with the power of your subconscious mind in trance, it can help you heal in many and sometimes unexpected ways. 

  7. What are some common misconceptions surrounding hypnosis?

    When I first started practicing as a hypnotherapist two decades ago, clients would ask for ‘my swinging watch’, but hypnosis is not about entertainment, it’s about giving you back your power. The beauty of hypnotherapy is about helping you make effortless change as you release, resolve and heal at many levels. Working with your powerful subconscious mind, makes you aware of the incredible power you have within you but hardly acknowledged.

  8.  Can you tell us how your course is perceived by your students?

    My students always want to learn more and be taken to the next level. Some of my previous participants found the perception they hold of themselves to be different to how they are perceived by their peers, most illuminating. Most of them said they slept so much better when they were on the 6 weeks course. Their feedback, so far, has been very positive. They find it fun as well as informative.

  9. How would you convince a hypnosis sceptic to give it a try?

    (I don’t want to convert people, you come here if you want to change something within you and learn more about yourself.) I find his answer too harsh. I’d prefer the answer I gave you before. Alternatively – I hope their curiosity about hypnosis might convince them to find out more about this intriguing subject.

  10. How long have you been practicing hypnosis? Do you enjoy your practice?

    I trained as a psychotherapist before I discovered this wonderful tool called hypnosis and I have been practicing since then, so for 2 decades. The bulk of my work is helping clients release repressed emotions from their past, that brought them to therapy in the first place - be it anxiety and panic attack, phobias, binge drinking, comfort eating and many more.
    In releasing those ‘toxic’ emotions, most of them feel lighter and happier and are able to stop habits that no longer serve them and can start doing what they couldn’t do before. It is very heartening to see clients change, sometimes the sparkle returns to their eyes, within a short time frame, so my career is very rewarding.

  11. How has hypnosis changed your life?

    I have always been fascinated by how the mind works. Hypnosis has helped me on my road to self-growth and development and address my own personal issues. By getting rid of your problems it makes you more authentic, it’s like shedding a mask, so that what is revealed is your true self. To a certain extent hypnosis can help give you a very authentic voice.

toni | 21 April 2017